


Happy New Year, Cowboy

by TeriH



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Gen, Magnificent Seven AU: Little Britches ATF, New Years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-08 16:01:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18626530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeriH/pseuds/TeriH
Summary: Originally published in Magnificent Kids #12 (Neon RainBow Press, 2010)Written for a VinList Finish the Story ChallengeThe boys and their dads ring in the New Year.





	Happy New Year, Cowboy

_Vin hadn't thought about how his actions would affect his family.  He'd just acted.  He looked around at them, unsure if his great idea had been so great._

He and J.D. had just wanted to surprise their dads and uncles.  

Everyone had been up really late celebrating New Year's Eve.  Even Uncle Nathan had agreed to stay since Aunt Raine had been scheduled to work at the hospital. Uncle Ezra said that Nathan and Josiah just wanted to be around for "this unparalleled event," Uncle Buck without a date for New Year's Eve.  Josiah had commented that the "ladies of Denver were in mourning" and everyone had laughed.  Whatever that meant.  But Buck had looked really happy as he held J.D. upside down, tickling him. 

He and J.D. had been allowed to stay up past their bedtime and welcome in the New Year.  Well, J.D. had almost made it, but the little boy had fallen asleep in front of the television well before the ball dropped. Vin's eyes had been drooping too when his pa had sat down on the couch beside him and pulled the sleepy boy into his lap.  

Vin watched as Buck tried to rouse J.D. but as usual his little brother, once asleep, was not going to wake up until he was good and ready.  "Dead to the world," Buck had commented.

Vin sat mesmerized by the shiny ball sliding slowly down the pole as his Uncles counted down along with the man on the TV. "5 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1.  Happy New Year!"

The last thing Vin remembered before sleep overtook him was Chris leaning down and whispering, "Happy New Year, Cowboy!" 

The next thing he knew the sun was shining through the window of his and JD's room and he was snuggled safe in his warm bed.  JD was just returning from the bathroom with a bewildered look on his face. "They's all asleep, Vin." 

That was when the idea hit.  It had been a good plan or had seemed so at the time . . .

~~~~~~~

Chris had been roused out of a sound sleep by a very excited little boy.  "Pa, I got a surprise for you."

  
He was definitely wide awake now as he surveyed what use to be his kitchen. It was clear that a miniature cyclone had occurred. No make that two. No surface was left unaffected. 

Beside the toaster lay what at some point must have been bread but now more closely resembled charcoal. Butter and what he hoped was jelly lay in blobs in that general area.   What appeared to be maple syrup dripped from a puddle on the counter to the floor below.  The microwave stood open and greasy paper towels were both inside and on the counter beside it, along with a box that in bright red letters proclaimed, "Microwave Sausage."   Next to the refrigerator sat a carton of milk and beside it lay a bottle of chocolate syrup, its contents dripping onto the counter.  

The table contained plates of pop tarts, toast, bagels, toaster waffles and sausage. At least Chris assumed it was the sausage, though it resembled rather dry, shriveled sticks.  There were bowls of cereal and glasses of what appeared to be very thick chocolate milk.

"My, my, a virtual smorgasbord if I ever saw one," Ezra's soft drawl broke the stunned silence of the others as he walked into the room.  "It would appear these young men have outdone themselves in preparing a wonderful repast for us to enjoy."

Chris watched as Ezra moved to the plate laden table and sat down, shaking out his napkin and placing it in his lap, then patiently waited for the others to join him.

"I worked the toaster," JD was beaming as he told of his assigned task. "Vin said I's too little to make the microwave work. We was real careful, Da."

"I can see you were, Lil Bit." Buck agreed, as he allowed JD to pull him to his chair at the table, where he was soon joined by Josiah and Nathan.

Snapping out of his trance, Chris looked down into the worried eyes of his little boy, eyes that held such hope and joy only moments before, and he smiled.  

Chris scooped Vin into his arms and gave the youngster a hug before moving toward the table, the crunch of spilt cereal under his feet. "Buck, how about you pour us some of that coffee."

Chris accepted the offered cup and raised it to his lips. "Good thing you set the timer on the pot last night."

"Not me, Stud. I forgot."

Chris eyes grew wide as the hot, bitter liquid passed his lips. 

"I made it good and strong, jist the way you like it, pa."  

It was that moment Chris realized a little mess was nothing compared to the sparkle in his son's eyes.  "Thanks, Cowboy.  I can't think of a better way to start the New Year."

 


End file.
